Table 5.
Knowledge and beliefs about cancer causes and symptoms (Section 1) and knowledge and beliefs about cancer prevention (Section 2) were assessed. Women were divided into Group A (general population women, n = 1118) and Group B (women with tumors, n = 26). Differences in responses were evaluated. A p-value < 0.05 is considered statistically significant (* p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001).
| Section 6: Knowledge and Beliefs about the Causes and Symptomatology of Breast Cancer | Group A Women in the General Population (n = 1118) N (%) |
Group B Women with Cancer (n = 26) N (%) |
p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you think you are well informed about breast cancer? | <0.001 *** | ||
| A lot | 26 (2) | 5 (19) | |
| Little | 80 (7) | 13 (50) | |
| Quite | 939 (84) | 6 (23) | |
| Not at all | 73 (7) | 2 (8) | |
| Do you think the cause of breast cancer is genetics? | 0.009 ** | ||
| No | 71(6) | 5 (19) | |
| Yes | 1047 (94) | 21 (81) | |
| Do you think the cause of breast cancer is endocrine? | 0.82 | ||
| No | 155 (14) | 4 (15) | |
| Yes | 963 (86) | 22 (85) | |
| Do you think a cause of breast cancer may be previous breast disease? | 0.50 | ||
| No | 320 (29) | 9 (35) | |
| Yes | 798 (71) | 17 (65) | |
| Do you think one cause of breast cancer may be radiation? | 0.02 * | ||
| No | 951 (85) | 18 (69) | |
| Yes | 167 (15) | 8 (31) | |
| Do you think one cause of breast cancer may be nutrition? | <0.001 *** | ||
| No | 856 (77) | 9 (35) | |
| Yes | 262 (23) | 17 (65) | |
| Do you think a cause of breast cancer may be environmental factors and pollution? | <0.001 *** | ||
| No | 929 (83) | 14 (54) | |
| Yes | 189 (17) | 12 (46) | |
| Do you think a cause of breast cancer may be psychological stress? | 0.004 ** | ||
| No | 532 (48) | 5 (19) | |
| Yes | 586 (52) | 21 (81) | |
| Do you think the cause of breast cancer may be another one? | 0.19 | ||
| No | 573 (51) | 10 (38) | |
| Yes | 545 (49) | 16 (62) | |
| What do you think the symptoms of cancer might be? | 0.44 | ||
| Palpable nodule | 135 (12) | 6 (23) | |
| Change in breast shape and size | 700 (63) | 14 (54) | |
| Nipple secretion | 69 (6) | 2 (8) | |
| Nipple alteration | 70 (6) | 3 (12) | |
| Other | 4 (0) | 0 | |
| I don’t know | 30 (3) | 1 (4) | |
| Section 7: Knowledge and beliefs about breast cancer prevention | |||
| Do you feel that you are well informed about breast cancer prevention? | <0.001 *** | ||
| A lot | 22 (2) | 7 (27) | |
| Quite | 69 (6) | 13 (50) | |
| Little | 955 (85) | 4 (15) | |
| Not at all | 72 (6) | 2 (8) | |
| What does prevention mean to you? | <0.001 *** | ||
| Early detection of cancers | 301 (27) | 11 (42) | |
| Prevention of risk factors | 593 (53) | 5 (19) | |
| Prevention of complications | 159 (14) | 2 (8) | |
| Don’t know | 41 (4) | 6 (23) | |
| More | 24 (2) | 2 (8) | |
| At what age do you think mammography is recommended? | 0.26 | ||
| <20 years old | 6 (1) | 0 | |
| 20–30 | 41 (4) | 0 | |
| 30–40 | 118 (11) | 2 (8) | |
| 40–50 | 199 (18) | 4 (15) | |
| 50–60 | 569 (51) | 15 (58) | |
| 60–70 | 165 (15) | 3 (12) | |
| I don’t know | 20 (2) | 1 (8) | |
| How often do you think mammography is recommended? | 0.0057 | ||
| Based on age/familiarity | 0 | 0 | |
| More than every year | 0 | 0 | |
| Every month | 11 (1) | 0 | |
| Every 6 months | 66 (6) | 2 (8) | |
| Every year | 846 (76) | 13 (50) | |
| Every 2 years | 141 (13) | 5 (19) | |
| I don’t know | 54 (5) | 6 (23) | |
| Do you consider clinical palpation useful as an act of breast cancer prevention? | 0.42 | ||
| No | 117 (10) | 4 (15) | |
| Yes | 1001 (90) | 22 (85) | |
| Do you think Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is useful for breast cancer prevention? | 0.009 ** | ||
| No | 501 (45) | 5 (19) | |
| Yes | 617 (55) | 21 (81) | |
| Do you consider biopsy useful as an act of breast cancer prevention? | <0.001 *** | ||
| No | 928 (83) | 13 (50) | |
| Yes | 190 (17) | 13 (50) | |
| Do you think computed tomography (CT) is useful for breast cancer prevention? | 0.007 ** | ||
| No | 639 (57) | 8 (31) | |
| Yes | 479 (43) | 18 (69) | |
| Do you think blood tests are useful for breast cancer prevention? | 0.003 ** | ||
| No | 839 (75) | 13 (50) | |
| Yes | 279 (25) | 13 (50) | |
| Do you find the interview with the oncologist useful as an act of breast cancer prevention? | 0.13 | ||
| No | 84 (8) | 4 (15) | |
| Yes | 1034 (92) | 22 (85) | |